[Arya]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Regarding Mamiko... well, I'm going to be old for a minute, and reminisce about the fact that I almost quit college with one year to go, because I'd had some success as a writer and wanted to do that instead of being an engineer. My parents forced me to go back - and thirty years later, I'm very glad they did. These days, my engineer training supports my writing. Just sayin'.

Mamiko is going through a difficult point in her life, so it's no surprise that she's grumpy and questioning everything. She'll get through it.

I'm holding back my judgement for now, leaning toward your position. Not saying Mamiko's father is in the right, but I can see the reasons he is acting in this way now that she has just an year left.
And Kumiko successes should have reawakened Mamiko's frustrations.

Not sure how this situation can be comparable to Asuka's in term of similar resolutions. But given the big hint of the episode about her and her situation, the real point of Asuka's mother also may not be "rational", but emotional. If this is it, I can see the show giving Kumiko the opportunity to share her experience enlightening and pushing her to let it go. But I'm not sure I'd like to see it resolved so easily. Surely I'm expecting Kumiko to meet her mother despite what Asuka said. I'm also curious to see if Asuka will explain what she sees in Kumiko.

Sad, but glad to see that the band it's still having an hard time to go back on track. Asuka's absence really hit them. I hope she will stop with this "I wont be a problem" thing, because she is an issue, better would be to address it with the whole group. Of course, as we already knew, Asuka arranged to make her dismissal less complicated for Taki and the band when instructed beforehand Natsuki. But it's more a technicality in comparison.

Finally, Shuuichi, finally has been your turn. (uff, after this episode I think the show really should have given him more room instead of say, the Mizore and Nozomi arc). Anyhow I hope he will have some role in the resolution of Kumiko / Mamiko's situation. And he already made his first move. Curious to see if the show will go back to show us if Shuuichi met with Reina and if he met Kumiko after that (I don't think so about the latter).

We got another take of Mamiko's situation in Aoi, who apparently at the end of her conversation with Kumiko seemed ambiguously pleased to know about Asuka problems, or I got it in the wrong way?

ETA:

Originally Posted by deadite

Shuichi lives in the same building actually.

Really, because it was framed as he and Mamiko never met each other from a very while. Didn't Shuuichi went to her apartment specifically?

Originally Posted by Sixth

I knew it is kinda late to ask this but....is Asuka's mother is a widow? She said that she raised Asuka alone or something like that in the last episode.

I thought it too when we first met her, but this episode seems to hint otherwise if you couple it to Asuka's mother remarks during the previous ep.